saam1 faan4 si5三蕃市
Jyutpingsaam1 faan4 si5
Yalesāam fàahn síh
Definition
San Francisco; a city in California, United States.
colloquialplacestravel
How it's used
This name is a classic example of Cantonese phonetic adaptation from the Gold Rush era. The character 三 refers to the number three, while 蕃 is a phonetic representation of the first syllable of San Francisco. It remains the standard way to refer to the city among older generations and in local media, though younger speakers increasingly use the English name.
Examples
I went to San Francisco for a trip last year.
Related words
Common phrases
San Francisco International Airport
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
